This report could not have been more timely. My husband and I are headed east today, and Umtanum Falls was on our list. Thank you for the update.

Zora Dermer

Sent from my iPhone


> On May 4, 2021, at 9:48 AM, David Hutchinson <florafaunabooks at hotmail.com> wrote:

>

> 

> After 18 months of being pinned down, pulling weeds in Discovery Park,

> Kris Baker and I decided to escape over the mountains for the May Day weekend.

> It was refreshing, after the negative political press

> to find every body in offices and businesses firmly wearing masks

> and being most friendly. The bad news was that the Umtanum

> Ridge road was devasted by fire. All the way to Umtanum Falls was

> much blackened or just plain not there. Only the Quaking Aspen were

> regenerating from the roots. And several pretty lithosol plants were blooming.

> Only Mountain Bluebirds , not Western were present and many other species had

> not yet arrived.

> The Potholes area also had some fire damage and quite a few important

> bird species were not back yet. No phalaropes seemingly, but the Avocets and

> Black-necked Stilts were in several watery locations. Heading up Hwy 17, between

> Moses Lake and Soap Lake there was still a Burrowing Owl to be found, perched

> on a white-washed rock.

> The highlight of the trip, was using our navigation device & getting lost in the rocky

> prairies north of HWY 2. It was thrilling to see Sage Thrasher breeding display,

> they perched on rocks and rapidly vibrating their wing tips. Eventually we staggered

> out of the back country to find the lodge at Jameson Lake burned down. But as we

> had hoped, many red-colored duck species were there, with male Ruddy Ducks a

> fiery red.

> With a lovely, tranquil exit through Moses Coulee and only a bried assault by ticks,

> we headed back to the park and our weeding and watering. Oh and the apples

> in Ellensburg were great.

> David Hutchinson, 206-499 7305

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